Kerala Executes Sweeping IPS Overhaul: P Vijayan Gets Law & Order, Arul Krishna Named Thiruvananthapuram Commissioner

Thiruvananthapuram: The V D Satheesan-led United Democratic Front government in Kerala has carried out its first large-scale reorganisation of the state police force, transferring and reassigning 30 senior Indian Police Service officers across crucial wings including Law and Order, Intelligence, Crime Branch, Armed Police Battalions and Cyber Operations. The exercise touches nearly every tier of the policing hierarchy, from Additional Director General of Police down to District Police Chiefs, and is being read as the new dispensation's first significant imprint on law enforcement administration. At the apex level, S Sreejith moves from ADGP (Headquarters) to ADGP (Prisons), while Balram Kumar Upadhyay shifts from heading the Prisons Department to ADGP (Armed Police Battalions). In one of the most closely watched changes, ADGP H Venkatesh, who held the sensitive Law and Order portfolio, has been moved to head the Crime Branch. Dinendra Kashyap takes over the Intelligence Wing as ADGP, while P Vijayan — previously in charge of Intelligence — steps into the Law and Order role and additionally takes full charge of Cyber Operations, making him one of the most powerful officers in the state's policing set-up. At the Inspector General level, Harshita Attaluri moves from Traffic to Headquarters, S Syamsundar shifts from Intelligence to the Crime Branch, and R Nishanthini takes charge of Intelligence from Headquarters. Several DIG and Commissioner-level changes follow: Yathish Chandra G H moves from Kannur to DIG Ernakulam, K Karthick goes from Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner to DIG Thrissur Range, and Narayanan T shifts from Thrissur to Kannur as DIG. In a notable move, Arul R B Krishna — until now DIG Ernakulam — has been elevated to Commissioner of Police, Thiruvananthapuram City, a posting widely seen as one of the reshuffle's most significant decisions. Kozhikode also sees major change, with Commissioner Merin Joseph moving to District Police Chief, Kozhikode Rural, and Shoukathali A P stepping in as the city's new Commissioner. Numerous district-level postings have also been refreshed across Kottayam, Kollam Rural, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Wayanad, Kasaragod, Kannur City and Rural, Thrissur Rural and Idukki, alongside new specialised assignments in railway policing, coastal security and the Crime Branch. Among these, Sabu Mathew K M moves from Idukki to District Police Chief, Kottayam, while Shaji Sugunan, previously with the Kerala Women's Commission, takes charge as District Police Chief, Kollam Rural. Vishnu Pratheep T K has been posted to Alappuzha, Abdul Rashi A to Palakkad, and S Deva Manohar — earlier Additional Excise Commissioner (Enforcement) — moves to Wayanad as District Police Chief. Nidhinraj P, formerly Kannur City Commissioner, takes over as District Police Chief, Kasaragod, with B V Vijaya Bharath Reddy stepping into the vacated Kannur City posting. Officials describe the overhaul as an effort to strengthen coordination across operational wings and align the police administration with the new government's priorities. With several experienced officers now occupying critical assignments across intelligence, law and order, crime investigation and district policing, the reshuffle is expected to shape Kerala's law enforcement strategy and operational priorities in the months ahead, particularly as the state navigates an evolving security landscape that spans cyber threats, organised crime and coastal vigilance.